Synthesis Essay

Cross-dressing has been a recurring theme in cinema since the days of silent film. It’s been utilized for everything from humor to drama, but also as social commentary. Regardless of its intent, the use of cross-dressing in a film almost always reveals something about that era’s attitudes toward sex, gender, and identity.

For this synthesis essay, analyze five scenes from major Hollywood films that feature cross-dressing. Synthesize insights from these scenes to explore the larger significance of cross-dressing in film. Your thesis should link all five scenes under a solid argument—support this argument with specific evidence from the films.

All scenes can be found in “Media Pack 1,” located in the eReader.

Some points to consider in your analysis: 

• What purposes does cross-dressing serve in these films—comedy, survival, disguise, rebellion, social critique, etc.?
• How do these portrayals reflect or challenge that era’s societal norms about sex and gender?
• Do these scenes reinforce stereotypes and traditional gender norms, or do they encourage a more fluid understanding of sexuality and/or gender identity?
• How has the portrayal of cross-dressing evolved over time in Hollywood films?
  

Note: Many words around sex and gender are often conflated. Here is a simple definition of terms to help inform your analysis: 

• Cross-dressing: This specifically refers to a person wearing clothes outside traditional gender norms for a variety of reasons, including self-expression, personal comfort, or as a joke. Because the practice is separate from sexual orientation or gender identity, the person engaging in it may or may not identify with the sex they are dressing as.
• Drag: Drag is a theatrical expression of sex and/or gender. It is performance art in which individuals, usually men, dress in exaggerated clothing, makeup, and personas typically associated with femininity, usually for entertainment. All drag involves cross-dressing, but not all cross-dressing is drag.
• Gender: Refers to the social and cultural roles, behaviors, and identities that a society may associate with being male, female, or non-binary. It is often influenced by societal expectations, and can be different from a person's assigned sex.
• Sex: Sex refers to the bimodal biological and physiological characteristics that define male and female bodies, such as chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive organs. It is typically assigned at birth based upon these traits.
• Transgenderism: This applies when a person’s gender identity does not correspond with the sex registered for them at birth.

Required:

• MLA Style, including works cited
• 500-625 words (2-2.5 pages)

 Due: Fri 4.11 (via Canvas)